The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-23
Universalists Decrease and Universalism
Grows.

Universalists Decrease and Universalism
Grows.
Anew confession Of faith for the Univer-
salists has been presented to tho General
Convention Of that communion now In ses-
| sion In New York, and referred to the next
annual meeting Of the body. 1t mobiles
and somewhat extends the original creed
as adopted In 1908, but 30 far as We can dis
cover, 1t does not essentially change 1t. The
four articles Of the new and brief creed ex-
press belief In the revelation Of the Scrip
lures, in the Trinity, in the final holiness
and happiness OF all mankind, and in the
| duty Of striving for present salvation by
repentance Of ain and the diligent use Of the
means Of grace.
Practically that Is the creed Of q very great
part OF modern Professionalism, though Uni
versalism In It's early days was. perhaps,
more obnoxious than any other form Of be-
lief to the churches which were classed
as evangelical. It was q common OBJ
ject Of ridicule among them, on the
ground that II all men were to
BIO ultimately saved, it was absurd
for their conversion here. But, as time has
gone on, the Universalsts have ceased to at
tract controversial attention, because Uni
versalism has more and moro extended In
the very communions which were once It's
bitterest enemies. The preaching Of the doc
trine Of hell has been very generally aban-
doned In most Protestant denominations,
and the word hell itsen has been left out Of
the new translation Of the Scriptures.
Since the opposition to them has been
withdrawn. the Universalists, very naturally,
have declined In Importance Their present
church membership as returned to the Con-
vention on Wednesday, Is only 1897. Here in
New York they were made prominent in
the days Of the Rev. DR.. CHAPLIN by his
great reputation as pulpit orator, but since
his death, and especially since the wide
spread change in Protestant sentiment re-
garding eternal punishment they have al
most disappeared from public notice, 80 that
only when their General Convention occurs
are people reminded Of their sectarian ex-
istence. It is good deal with them as it
Is with the old Abolitionists; their battlehas
been fought and won, and there does not
seem to be any reason for their longer keep
ing up tho fight.
The spirit Of the creed proposed to them
on Wednesday Is essentially the spirit OF the
faith held by those Congregational theolo-
gians who argued at Springfield against the
exclusion Of missionaries from the Ameri-
can Board because Of their belief
in future probation for the heather. 1t
was said, too, at the time Of that
debate, that there was only one Congrega-
donalist clergyman In Boston who could
stand the test Of his orthodoxy imposed by
the American Board on its missionaries. At
least modified Universalism Is the faith Of
the majority Of the younger Congregational
theologians of New England and OF the
majority of the laymen of this generation.
The old fear of hell, it can hardly be de-
MED. Is rapidly departing from among
Protestants generally. Even at the Ocean
Grove camp meetings this summer the ter
rors Of the lake Of fire were not
painted as formerly by the ex-
horters. Their pictures. rather, were of
the glories Of heaven. upon which Protest
ants commonly are at present accustomed to
dwell, to the exclusion Of the torments Of the
damned. once described and dwelt upon as q
necessary part OF every orthodox sermon.
Now there comes In an optimistic hope, II
not belief. that the Divine love and justice
will, in the words Of the new Universalist
creed. bring to pass "the final holiness and
happiness Of all mankind"
Universalism therefore no longer needs a
separate organization to preserve and pro-
claim doctrines 80 comforting to the soul Of
man. Yet the word hell and the conception
OF. hell are still preserved In the speech Of
the profane, and the human sense Of JUS
tice still looks forward to future punishment
as necessary for the righting Of things on
this earth. Men may be very glad to be told
that they themselves are not going to hell,
but they feel sure that 1t Is the only fit place
for some other people.